Description

Previcox is a medication used to treat inflammation and pain in dogs. The tablet works quickly and is chewable, though can be given with food to make administering the drug much easier. It inhibits the enzyme responsible for generating the chemicals which lead to pain and inflammation. Previcox is generally used to treat the symptoms of osteoarthritis though it may be suitable for other conditions as well. Osteoarthritis can occur through old age and general wear and tear, though the use of a drug such as Previcox can lead to dramatic reductions in the inflammation and pain, so giving the pet a whole new lease of life.

Previcox for dogs is only available with a prescription from your vet. The medication can be purchased directly from the vet but this usually works out to be much more expensive, so an alternative is to buy dog medicine from VioVet. The prescription will have to be obtained from the vet and sent with the order before the drug can be supplied.

As with all pain-relieving drugs, some side effects are possible. Any unusual symptoms should be reported to your vet. However Previcox for dogs is in fact one of the safest drugs in its class and very rarely causes any unwanted side effects. Care should be taken if the animal is suffering from conditions such as liver or kidney problems, heart disease or blood pressure problems. The vet will also take into consideration any other medication being given to the pet.

Pharmaceutical form

Clinical particulars

Target species

Indications for use

For the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in dogs.

For the relief of post-operative pain and inflammation associated with soft-tissue, orthopaedic and dental surgery in dogs.

Contra-indications

Do not use in pregnant or lactating bitches. Do not use in animals less than 10 weeks of age or less than 3 kg body weight. Do not use in animals suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding, blood dyscrasia or haemorrhagic disorders.

Do not use concomitantly with corticosteroids or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Special warnings for each target species

None.

Special precautions for use in animals

The recommended dose, as indicated in the dosing table, should not be exceeded.

Use in very young animals, or animals with suspected or confirmed impairment of renal, cardiac or hepatic function may involve additional risk. If such use cannot be avoided, those dogs require careful veterinary monitoring.

Avoid use in any dehydrated, hypovolaemic or hypotensive animals, as there is a potential risk of increased renal toxicity. Concurrent administration of potentially nephrotoxic drugs should be avoided. Use this product under strict veterinary monitoring where there is a risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, or if the animal previously displayed intolerance to NSAIDs. Renal and/or hepatic disorders have been reported in very rare cases in dogs administered the recommended treatment dose. It is possible that a proportion of such cases had sub-clinical renal or hepatic disease prior to the commencement of therapy. Therefore, appropriate laboratory testing to establish baseline renal or hepatic biochemistry parameters is recommended prior to and periodically during administration. The treatment should be discontinued if any of these signs are observed: repeated diarrhoea, vomiting, faecal occult blood, sudden weight loss, anorexia, lethargy, degradation of renal or hepatic biochemistry parameters.

Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the product to animals

Wash hands after use of the product. In case of accidental ingestion, seek medical advice immediately and show the package leaflet or the label to the physician. Return halved tablets to the blister and keep out of the reach of children.

Adverse reactions

Emesis and diarrhea have occasionally been reported. These reactions are generally of a transitory nature and are reversible when the treatment is stopped. Renal and/or hepatic disorders have been reported in very rare cases in dogs administered the recommended treatment dose. Rarely, nervous system disorders have been reported in treated dogs.

If adverse reactions like vomiting, repeated diarrhoea, faecal occult blood, sudden weight loss, anorexia, lethargy, degradation of renal or hepatic biochemistry parameters occur, use of the product should be stopped and the advice of a veterinarian should be sought. As with other NSAIDs, serious adverse effects can occur and, in very rare cases, may be fatal.

*The frequency of possible adverse effects is defined using the following convention:

Rare (affects 1 to 10 animals in 10,000)

Very rare (affects less than 1 animal in 10,000).

Use during pregnancy, lactation or lay

Do not use in pregnant or lactating bitches. Laboratory studies in rabbits have shown evidence of maternotoxic and foetotoxic effects at dose rates approximating the recommended treatment dose for the dog.

Interactions

Pre-treatment with other anti-inflammatory substances may result in additional or increased adverse effects and accordingly a treatment-free period with such drugs should be observed for at least 24 hours before the commencement of treatment with Previcox. The treatment-free period, however, should take into account the pharmacokinetic properties of the products used previously.

Previcox must not be administered in conjunction with other NSAIDs or glucocorticosteroids. Gastrointestinal tract ulceration may be exacerbated by corticosteroids in animals given non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Concomitant treatment with molecules displaying action on renal flow, e.g. diuretics or Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, should be subject to clinical monitoring. Concurrent administration of potentially nephrotoxic drugs should be avoided as there might be an increased risk of renal toxicity. As anaesthetic drugs may affect renal perfusion, the use of parenteral fluid therapy during surgery should be considered to decrease potential renal complications when using NSAIDs peri-operatively.

Concurrent use of other active substances that have a high degree of protein binding may compete with firocoxib for binding and thus lead to toxic effects.

Amounts to be administered and administration route

Oral use.

Osteoarthritis:

Administer 5 mg per kg bodyweight once daily as presented in the table below. Tablets can be administered with or without food.

Duration of treatment will be dependent on the response observed. As field studies were limited to 90 days, longer-term treatment should be considered carefully and regular monitoring undertaken by the veterinarian.

Relief of post-operative pain:

Administer 5 mg per kg bodyweight once daily as presented in the table below for up to 3 days as needed, starting approximately 2 hours prior to surgery. Following orthopaedic surgery and depending on the response observed, treatment using the same daily dosing schedule may be continued after the first 3 days, upon judgement of the attending veterinarian.

Overdose

In dogs ten weeks of age at the start of treatment at dose rates equal to or greater than 25 mg/kg/day (5 times the recommended dose) for three months, the following signs of toxicity were observed: bodyweight loss, poor appetite, changes in the liver (accumulation of lipid), brain (vacuolisation), duodenum (ulcers) and death. At dose rates equal to or greater than 15 mg/kg/day (3 times the recommended dose) for six months, similar clinical signs were observed, albeit that the severity and frequency were less and duodenal ulcers were absent. In those target animal safety studies, clinical signs of toxicity were reversible in some dogs following cessation of therapy.

In dogs seven months of age at the start of treatment at dose rates greater than or equal to 25 mg/kg/day (5 times the recommended dose) for six months, gastrointestinal adverse effects, i.e. vomiting were observed.

Overdose studies were not conducted in animals over 14 months of age. If clinical signs of overdosing are observed, discontinue treatment.

Immediate packaging

Disposal

Any unused product or waste materials derived from such products should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.

Marketing Authorisation Holder (if different from distributor)

Merial

29, avenue Tony Garnier

69007 Lyon

FRANCE

Marketing Authorisation Number

EU/2/04/045/001-006

EU/2/04/045/008-009

Legal category

227mg Chewable Tablet » Priced per Tablet

Previcox 57 mg, 227 mg chewable tablets for dogs

Qualitative and quantitative composition

Each tablet contains:

Active substance:

Firocoxib 57 mg

Firocoxib 227 mg

Excipients: Iron oxide (E172)

Caramel (E150d)

For the full list of excipients, see below.

Pharmaceutical form

Chewable tablets. Tan-brown, round, convex, engraved scored tablets.

Clinical particulars

Target species

Dogs.

Indications for use

For the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in dogs.

For the relief of post-operative pain and inflammation associated with soft-tissue, orthopaedic and dental surgery in dogs.

Contra-indications

Do not use in pregnant or lactating bitches. Do not use in animals less than 10 weeks of age or less than 3 kg body weight. Do not use in animals suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding, blood dyscrasia or haemorrhagic disorders.

Do not use concomitantly with corticosteroids or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Special warnings for each target species

None.

Special precautions for use in animals

The recommended dose, as indicated in the dosing table, should not be exceeded.

Use in very young animals, or animals with suspected or confirmed impairment of renal, cardiac or hepatic function may involve additional risk. If such use cannot be avoided, those dogs require careful veterinary monitoring.

Avoid use in any dehydrated, hypovolaemic or hypotensive animals, as there is a potential risk of increased renal toxicity. Concurrent administration of potentially nephrotoxic drugs should be avoided. Use this product under strict veterinary monitoring where there is a risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, or if the animal previously displayed intolerance to NSAIDs. Renal and/or hepatic disorders have been reported in very rare cases in dogs administered the recommended treatment dose. It is possible that a proportion of such cases had sub-clinical renal or hepatic disease prior to the commencement of therapy. Therefore, appropriate laboratory testing to establish baseline renal or hepatic biochemistry parameters is recommended prior to and periodically during administration. The treatment should be discontinued if any of these signs are observed: repeated diarrhoea, vomiting, faecal occult blood, sudden weight loss, anorexia, lethargy, degradation of renal or hepatic biochemistry parameters.

Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the product to animals

Wash hands after use of the product. In case of accidental ingestion, seek medical advice immediately and show the package leaflet or the label to the physician. Return halved tablets to the blister and keep out of the reach of children.

Adverse reactions

Emesis and diarrhea have occasionally been reported. These reactions are generally of a transitory nature and are reversible when the treatment is stopped. Renal and/or hepatic disorders have been reported in very rare cases in dogs administered the recommended treatment dose. Rarely, nervous system disorders have been reported in treated dogs.

If adverse reactions like vomiting, repeated diarrhoea, faecal occult blood, sudden weight loss, anorexia, lethargy, degradation of renal or hepatic biochemistry parameters occur, use of the product should be stopped and the advice of a veterinarian should be sought. As with other NSAIDs, serious adverse effects can occur and, in very rare cases, may be fatal.

*The frequency of possible adverse effects is defined using the following convention:

Rare (affects 1 to 10 animals in 10,000)

Very rare (affects less than 1 animal in 10,000).

Use during pregnancy, lactation or lay

Do not use in pregnant or lactating bitches. Laboratory studies in rabbits have shown evidence of maternotoxic and foetotoxic effects at dose rates approximating the recommended treatment dose for the dog.

Interactions

Pre-treatment with other anti-inflammatory substances may result in additional or increased adverse effects and accordingly a treatment-free period with such drugs should be observed for at least 24 hours before the commencement of treatment with Previcox. The treatment-free period, however, should take into account the pharmacokinetic properties of the products used previously.

Previcox must not be administered in conjunction with other NSAIDs or glucocorticosteroids. Gastrointestinal tract ulceration may be exacerbated by corticosteroids in animals given non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Concomitant treatment with molecules displaying action on renal flow, e.g. diuretics or Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, should be subject to clinical monitoring. Concurrent administration of potentially nephrotoxic drugs should be avoided as there might be an increased risk of renal toxicity. As anaesthetic drugs may affect renal perfusion, the use of parenteral fluid therapy during surgery should be considered to decrease potential renal complications when using NSAIDs peri-operatively.

Concurrent use of other active substances that have a high degree of protein binding may compete with firocoxib for binding and thus lead to toxic effects.

Amounts to be administered and administration route

Oral use.

Osteoarthritis:

Administer 5 mg per kg bodyweight once daily as presented in the table below. Tablets can be administered with or without food.

Duration of treatment will be dependent on the response observed. As field studies were limited to 90 days, longer-term treatment should be considered carefully and regular monitoring undertaken by the veterinarian.

Relief of post-operative pain:

Administer 5 mg per kg bodyweight once daily as presented in the table below for up to 3 days as needed, starting approximately 2 hours prior to surgery. Following orthopaedic surgery and depending on the response observed, treatment using the same daily dosing schedule may be continued after the first 3 days, upon judgement of the attending veterinarian.

Overdose

In dogs ten weeks of age at the start of treatment at dose rates equal to or greater than 25 mg/kg/day (5 times the recommended dose) for three months, the following signs of toxicity were observed: bodyweight loss, poor appetite, changes in the liver (accumulation of lipid), brain (vacuolisation), duodenum (ulcers) and death. At dose rates equal to or greater than 15 mg/kg/day (3 times the recommended dose) for six months, similar clinical signs were observed, albeit that the severity and frequency were less and duodenal ulcers were absent. In those target animal safety studies, clinical signs of toxicity were reversible in some dogs following cessation of therapy.

In dogs seven months of age at the start of treatment at dose rates greater than or equal to 25 mg/kg/day (5 times the recommended dose) for six months, gastrointestinal adverse effects, i.e. vomiting were observed.

Overdose studies were not conducted in animals over 14 months of age. If clinical signs of overdosing are observed, discontinue treatment.

Immediate packaging

Disposal

Any unused product or waste materials derived from such products should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.

Marketing Authorisation Holder (if different from distributor)

Merial

29, avenue Tony Garnier

69007 Lyon

FRANCE

Marketing Authorisation Number

EU/2/04/045/001-006

EU/2/04/045/008-009

Legal category

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Order Total

Weight

Delivery

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£2.99

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£4.99

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Free

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£39+

Under 2kg

Free

2kg+

Free

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Reviews
(195)

Q & A

Previcox

Fran

Is previcox safe for my 7 year old cavilier king Charles do you think? She has a disc problem that's a year later is causing her to have a lot of pain. She's on 300mg gabapentin and 5 mg prednicare per day. Almost died after vet prescribed her tramadol. Any suggestions please, I would be truly grateful

Sophie Meers

Veterinary Advisor

Generally it is not considered a good idea to have dogs on NSAIDs like Previcox alongside steroid. However if your dog is in a considerable amount of pain you could talk to your vet about whether it is worth the risk in this case.

9 October 2017 at 10:32am

Side Effects

Alison King

VioVet customer since 2017

From: Northamptonshire, United Kingdom

Can you tell me if there are any side effects from taking Previcox?

Thanks

Sophie Meers

Veterinary Advisor

Like all the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Previcox can occasionally cause side effects such as vomiting, inappetance, diarrhoea or some liver problems when given long term. However your vet will do a risk-beneift assessment for your dog- usually the benefits outweigh the risks.

6 October 2015 at 9:31pm

Prescription

stevemcgee

Do I have to get prescription even though dog is already on them?

John Cousins BVSc MRCVS

Non-Executive Director

Legally we cannot sell any of this without receiving a copy of a prescription signed by your vet. If your vet is helpful, he/she can write out a prescription to authorise medication for 6 to 12 months, though lots of vets decline to do this. It is up to them in fact, we cannot change that.

16 December 2013 at 10:13am

Alternative to Previcox

Adrian Mills

Since ordering food from yourselves and receiving a speedy service I also see you can provide prescribed drugs and I have a question.
My 10 year old JRT has been on previcox for 3 years following a trauma injury for her crutiate ligament.
She has been quite well in general and I wonder if you have a similar non prescription drug that would be just as effective?
Your advice would be appreciated.

Hannah Dyball

Website Content Developer

There is nothing like Previcox which is non-prescription. There are however quite a few joint supplements which help the general health of joints and can reduce or sometime eliminate the need for prescription anti-inflammatory drugs like Previcox. I would suggest trying Yumove or Seraquin and gradually trying to wean your dog off the Previcox after a few weeks. If you can reduce the dose, or even stop it altogether, that is great. You might need to use Previcox periodically if there is a flare-up of stiffness or soreness in the leg. Most people find that both types of treatment have their place, along with sensible but controlled exercise and weight control through sensible diet.